ANTI-GAY RADIO PASTOR UNDER FIRE
A pastor who hosts a show on the “progressive” SABC Afrikaans radio station RSG is under fire for anti-gay comments he posted on Facebook.
Riekert Botha, a pastor from the Vredendal Baptist Church, hosts the programme Pleisters vir die Siel (Plasters for the Soul), which airs on Saturdays between 9.30 am and 10 am.
“Beware of trying to be ‘in.’ If you suffer from an inferiority complex being ‘in’ won’t heal you. It is ‘fashionable’ to cohabitate and be promiscuous. It is ‘trendy’ to be gay and to consider the Bible old-fashioned,” wrote Botha on the show’s fan page.
“It is ‘fashionable’ to have no scruples and declare yourself god. It is ‘en vogue’ to be religious without ‘knowing’ Jesus. It is ‘fashionable’ to proselytise peace without acknowledging the Prince of Peace. In God’s eyes being fashionable in this sense is very very unfashionable. You have to choose: ‘favourable’ in God’s eyes or ‘un-trendy’ in the eyes of people…”
Coenie W. Kukkuk, the well-known lawyer behind Mr. Gay South Africa, backed by the South African Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (SAGLAAD), has urged the LGBT community to voice its anger to the public broadcaster over Botha’s comments.
“I have to object to RSG giving a platform to this misinformed individual. He might have noble intentions most of the time and bring about positive influence through his programme… but his latest statement makes his continued appearance on a platform funded by the state and the public increasingly untenable,” said Kukkuk in a letter to RSG, the SABC, and the South African Human Rights Commission.
“It has never been en vogue to be gay. Au contraire,” noted Kukkuk. “The vast majority of LGBTI/gay people suffer years of anguish, battering, social rejection and pariah status. What also baffles is that Botha groups ‘gay’ with a motley assortment of societal leprosy. There is absolutely no connection between the mention of the vulnerable gay grouping and the rest of the tirade.”
Botha apologised on Facebook for causing any hurt with his comment and insisted that he did not “reject gays”, asking “if God does not reject gays, how can I?”.
Nevertheless he still held the view that “homosexuality is sin – as the scripture says”.
The issue has caused a furore, with hundreds of comments supporting or opposing Botha’s views being posted on the Pleisters vir die Siel page.
In response to the controversy, the Rapport newspaper website ran a poll asking its visitors to air their views on the matter.
At the time of writing, the vast majority (73%) of the over 13,000 people who voted said that Botha should be taken off the air as “someone who does not respect people’s human rights does not belong on a public broadcaster”.
Around 19% of the votes were in favour of Botha’s views while 8% did not agree with his comments but felt that he should have the right to express them.
RSG station manager Magdaleen Kruger told Beeld that while she had received complaints about the issue they were no more than the usual number of complaints that the station receives.
She said that the station has no plans to take action against Botha as it believes that his views on Facebook are his personal opinions. It did, however, ask him to remove references to the radio show and RSG on the page.
This is typical of Radio Sonder Mense
What an utter dumbass! People like this fuel hate!
Botha is a self hate gay person.he nids 2 unlock the code in his closet.not 2 open but 2 bomb his closet…
Okay so here we have a case of double standards in the media: Darren Scott was fired from his job at Jacaranda FM for reasons well known yet RSG is not taking action against Botha. How fair is that?
Whoop Whoop!!!! Iemand met n brein….
Rapport.co.za – vote there
I personally think his ashamed of his own lack of pendance! Being me and gay in my experience and emotionally linked to the hatespeech feel that I never chose this life. Afterall there are 460 different species which is ajar to homosexuality! Yet only one species with homophobia. I would love to know when we received a choice. Cause I missed it! I’m here I’m queer and I’m proud! Those who appose the lbgt community should look at there own cracks and judge themselves! This Botha guy has slung at a bee nest! He should pray!
It is worrying that the Station Manager of RSG, Magdaleen Kruger, seems to think that the undesirable personal opinions of their broadcasters are of no concern so long as they are not expressed on the station or elsewhere where those opinions and the person in question are being linked to the station. Ultimately, anyone who broadcasts will be known to persons independantly of the broadcasts. In other words, it will be known that persons with undesirable opinions are being given airtime by the SABC and its stations.
I don’t know afrikaans, he must be an asshole , you translate..
You got it right Leo…
An asshole indeed…
I think he’s a queerling…aren’t they always. It’s such a shame that many christian and afrikaners condemn homosexuality yet, I’ve noticed a particularly high number of homosexuals in both communities most in the vatican and the rest in pretoria.
The BCCSA (Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA) says that they have no jurisdiction to deal with the matter as they deal only with what is broadcasted (TV and Radio). Botha published his bigotry on his Facebook page, not over the radio, hence the BCCSA has no jurisdiction. However, he used his RSG connection to attract people to his ‘fan’ page – where the bigotry is published. In that regard, RSG requested him to remove the RSG reference on FB. The fact that RSG says they will still use him in future smacks of double standards as Darren Scott was swiftly removed from Jacaranda when he made racist comments at a function – not even over radio.
I would tell the priest that you cannot believe in the word of the Bible – only in the word of Christ. It is that simple.
I would never support any censorship as it is very important to let him reveal himself, how he misunderstands it all. Let him talk.
Hello daar, dit is asof iemand wat baie na aan my ook FB het met hierdie anti gay spraak…
Daar word mos beweer dat dit n keuse is om gay te wees, hoekom sal enigiemand kies om die moeilikke pad te kies van verwerping, spottery ens? Ons as mens kies mos altyd die maklikke uitweg, en as dit n keuse was om gay te wees, wanneer het die straights besluit om straight te wees? Blameer asb die straights wat aanhou om gay kinders te maak en los ons wat gelukkig is en gemaklik is met wat ons is uit!!!! Almal praat altyd van die Bybel as die “regte manier” om te lewe ens, maar wie verkoop deesdae hul dogter as n slaaf en offer n bees of n lam in jou voortuin, so kyk na die hele mensdom in plaas daarvan om ons gay mense aan te vat!!!!
By that look of his, the butt plug doesn’t fit too well.
The law requires that transgressions of the Code of Conduct for public broadcasters (which contains all the principles of the constitution including non-discriminatory on the grounds of sexual orientation) should be reported to the BCCSA (Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA) – but they deal only with what is broadcasted. He published his bigotry on his FB page, not over the radio. So it is out of the BCCSA jurisdiction and falls within the ambit of free speech – he is allowed to say it on FB. (We did report it though and I will post the BCCSA response after this). However, our problem was that he used his RSG connection to attract people to his ‘fan’ page – where the bigotry is published. In that regard, RSG requested him to remove the RSG reference on FB. With that we were succesful. Remember also that Rapport – who did the poll – see http://www.rapport.co.za (and please vote!*wink* – is not connected to the SABC (where under RSG falls). There we also had a major coup – in that the poll as it now stands, is on nearly 14 000 votes that he must be removed from RSG (for which there are no actual grounds, except him being a homophobe, but that is not a legal reason to do so). In that RSG will still use him in future, is a thorn in our sides, and smacks of double standards as Darren Scott was swiftly removed from Jacaranda when he made racist comments at a function – not even over radio. Still, if all bigots had to be removed from radio, there will be only a few broadcasters left. What they can not do however is say it over the air or use a state-funded radio station such as RSG to further their aims. In that regard we were succesful.
Botha also said he is ‘closing’ his FB page due to it having the same name as the RSG programme and FB does not allow page name changes if a page has more than 100 fans (he has 7600!)
In response to what the pastor has said about gay people and I would just like to bring something under his attention.
I am a Gay man of 24 and I am happily married to a man, we have know each other now for the past five years going on six and let me tell you this is a wonder life that we share together.
When I came out the closet well; I never really had to my mother just never noted that I was gay, but I came clean when I turned 21 and yes she blew up but I was still her son and she had to except or rather make peace with the fact that I am gay the cherry on the cake was the church my mother goes to the Pastor’s son also came out of the closet shortly after i did and now he has a Family counseling group to HOW TO UNDERSTAND YOUR GAY CHILD .
My mother was really upset and so was I so I turned to my husband and i said my mother is rejecting me and thinks this is some fase i am going through, after he phoned her and told her that I am still her son she backed down and started getting use to the idea.
So many closet gay people are terrified of coming out and lifting that secret of their shoulders, we all know where these people end upYes 6 feet under!!!
Most people who are certain they know what the Bible says about homosexuality dont know where the verses that reference same sex behavior can be found. They havent read them, let alone studied them carefully. They dont know the original meaning of the words in Hebrew or Greek. And they havent tried to understand the historical context in which those words were written. Yet the assumption that the Bible condemns homosexuality is passed down from generation to generation with very little personal study or research. The consequences of this misinformation are disastrous, not only for Gods gay and lesbian children, but for the entire church.
For example, many Christians dont know that:
Jesus says nothing about same-sex behavior.
The Jewish prophets are silent about homosexuality. Only six or seven of the Bibles one million verses refer to same sex behavior in any way, and none of these verses refer to homosexual orientation as its understood today.
There are some many people that are will help but there i always that one in a million idiot that want’s to break things down.
My question to the Pastor is: What are you going to do if your children ‘come out’ the closet?
Hello there,
I have the same problem with my dad, he does not want to accept the fact and pushes me away further and further.
I have reached the stage where i can not care anymore…
I say bring his ass to pride this year, and let’s egg the living shit out of his, ignorant dumb ass!!!
that does not set a good example of us Gay People then does it?
Here is Pastor Riekert Botha’s e-mail if you want to convey your feelings about his homophobia: riekertb@gmail.com
he is such an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!! his owen bible at home tells him that gods love is unconditional. and it also sais that judging is a sin to……. he contidicts himself over and over again. HE IS JUDGING OTHER HUMAN BIENGS… Therfor he is a SINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think this uneducated pastor must re-learn his bible. Homosexuality is a sin, but so is adultery and fornication amongst other things. Why doesnt he talk about those things too.
Its easy to point out others sins I wander what lies in his closet that no one knows about.
Besides Scripture teaches us that we have all sinned and fallen short of Gods glory, and he ant Jesus so he has no right to point fingers at nobody.
This so called pastor has lots to learn.
Christian (Madeleine Kotze In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, written by a James Kauffman. Dear Dr. Laura Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination … End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God’s Laws and how to follow them. 1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians? 2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? 3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of Menstrual uncleanliness – Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I know? I have tried asking, but most women take offense. 4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord – Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them? 5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it? 6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination, Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this? Are there ‘degrees’ of abomination? 7. Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here? 8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die? 9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves? 10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14) I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I’m confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging. Your adoring fan James M. Kauffman Ed.D. Professor Emeritus, Dept. Of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education University of Virginia)